January 17, 2025 • 9 mins
1989 French Open Tennis Champion Michael Chang was the youngest man to win a grand slam.
The former champion spent some time in New Zealand over the Christmas break watching his daughter play in a futures type tournament.
Lesley Murdoch caught up with Chang courtside and chatted all things tennis past and present.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, it's a privilege and a treat to speak to
you and find some time with you. Michael Chang and
great to have you in christ.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
It's nice to be here. My daughter and I've enjoyed
our time in New Zealand. This is going on our
almost finishing up our second week here. We're in Ashburton
last week and enjoying our time here and playing well
and having fun. And yeah, it's been lovely to come here.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
So I know that you're a very modest person, but
you were one of the fastest around the courts. I
remember watching you and you were wonderful success, not only
at Grand Slam time but at the ATP tournament level.
But now you're investing yourself in another project. Is that
the right terminology.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I don't know if your kids are necessarily another project,
but I think it's more of a you know, I
feel like it's such an honor to be a parent,
you know, to be able to have, you know, kids
that you know enjoy a sport that you know, you
you love so much and that's so close to your heart.
And to be honest with you, I'm actually quite thankful
for the actually that opportunity to work with k Nishi
(01:01):
Corey because when when I started working with k Lonnie
was only maybe two years old. So she's been exposed
to all the different tournaments on the ATP Tour at
all different levels. She's been to obviously every single Grand
Slam and play at lounges and restaurants. And so when
you're around so many great champions and you watch you know,
(01:23):
so many great you know matches throughout those young young years,
how do you not love the sport of tennis. So
so I'm very thankful for that Now she's out here playing,
playing some of these ifs, and so I feel like
it's a it's an honor and privilege to be out here,
you know, trying to encourage her to to go out
there and play her best.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
So does she feel appreciate of your success?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
You know? To be honest with you, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I know what it feels like to, you know, play
tennis at a very high level at a very young age,
But I do not know what it feels like to
have a parent who was sucessful on tour before. So
that's something that I cannot help her with in certain aspects,
you know, I can help her with you know, different
different things that are.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Going on the court.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Maybe if she's playing, you know, a top seed or
somebody that she doesn't know. But that's one aspect that
I don't have experience in. I can only tell her
maybe kind of what it's like in that scenario being recognized.
And I think at least she's been around players that
people are asking for autographs and asking for pictures and
stuff like that, so that's not too unfamiliar for her.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
But to actually have a parent.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Who who played on tour, that's something I think she's
still getting used to a little bit and you know,
kind of finding her way.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
There as an appearent of a young player coming through.
Lani's fourteen, isn't she just fourteen? I mean at fifteen,
you you played the US Open, and it's just one
year removed.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah, I mean I think that, you know, everybody has
their own their own timetable. You know, obviously we're not
We don't try to make any comparisons. And and you know,
my wife Amber played tennis at a very high level
as well, so you know Lannie knows that, you know,
tennis is very deep in our roots. I think she's
handling it well, you know, I think she's out here
(03:14):
having fun and and I think overall I think she's
she's handling it well.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So just tune fourteen down on airstribute and she made
the final. You're into semi finals here and of course
up for grabs of the hundred points in the pathway
later up to the Grand Slams. Isn't it up to
the top level of tinis?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, I mean, you know, I hope that you know,
she gets to that point where she'll have opportunities to
play in some of these junior Slams. I think that's
really exciting opportunity. I think for any of the kids here.
You know, this is just kind of one one step
along the way. There's it's a it's a long journey.
She's young, so there's lots of areas to improve upon,
and you know, when that time comes, you know, we'll
(03:55):
we'll approach it and and hopefully be a you know
a great experience for her. But you know, got a
lot of little steps along the way, and you know
here in christ Church, this this week is one of them.
I want their journey to be one that is you know, exciting,
one that's filled with passion, one that's enjoyable. I've seen
the other side where it hasn't been enjoyable for some
(04:17):
of the juniors for one reason or another. I would
always want her to have tennis throughout the rest of
her lifetime, whether she goes to play, you know, in
college or professional, no matter how she does, you know, well,
we'll just keep plugging away and and and see what
God has in store from there. But we'll just take
it one day at a time and enjoy the process.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
So just going back to a shbutin are the same
players that were at astribution here, we'll go to Wellington
as well.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I would assume that they're going to Wellington because it
just makes sense to play, you know, kind of this
New Zealand swing. This is a bigger tournament than it
was last week.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
So in the quality or at this age group.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, I mean I think that the quality is very high.
You know, it's not it's not at a Junior Slam
or anything like that. These are all good players. There
are no no easy matches out here. And the tough
thing also is that for us, we don't know that
many so it's not like we're that familiar with with
you know, a lot of these players, but we're learning
and you know, just taking a match by match. The
(05:16):
tournament staff has been been incredible. They run up, you know,
unbelievably professional tournament. They certainly know what they're doing. And
the people in New Zealand obviously are been super nice
in both places that we've been to.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Now eyes across the Tasman at the moment with the
Australian Open, and you know, we wake up this morning
to hear that nineteen year old Larner teams through they
have a big match. Do you keep an eye on
what's happening in the big Grand Slams?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, I mean it's hard not to watch a great
win for Learner, and you know a lot of great
matches are being being played and a lot of good
matchup matchups that are going to be be coming up.
So you know, both champions I think down in Auckland
are doing very very well on visas through to the
third round. It's going to be a fun Australian Open.
Top of that, I think it's probably the player's favorite
(06:02):
Grand Slam I think, out of all four of them,
so it's the most relaxing and the most fun and
doesn't have the intensity I think of a Grand Slam,
and I think the players enjoy that.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
What do you make of the top level tinas, both
men and women's the circuit at the moment.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I mean, the the level of play is is
pretty incredible. Center and al Karez are really bringing their
their best games to uh, you know, each week. And
then you look at you know, IgA and you look
at Sablenka, you know, Rebakena playing two young young kids, uh,
you know, in Emerson Jones and uh in Iva Djovic.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
They're tough.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I mean, there's no question the level is is very
very high. They're all peaking to play their best tennis,
you know during these during these couple of weeks, as
the matches get tougher, you know, the level is just
gonna intensity is just going to keep rising. So it'll
be fun to watch everything unfold.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Do you think much back to your wonderful career?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Sometimes not a ton these days because I'm I'm so
uh you know, kind of enveloped with uh, with our
kids and what they're doing and and their training and being.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Chauffeur and any different things like that.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
You know, I realized that that my time is has
has passed as far as you know, being out there playing.
But it is nice to be able to offer some
encouragement and offer some some experience to uh, you know,
certainly to my kids, but sometimes he maybe even to
some of the other kids or or young talent that
that come up.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
You know that I cross paths with Finally.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
All your children involved in tennis.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Actually, So Lannie obviously plays tennis. Our second daughter is
a golfer actually, and then our little boy plays a
little bit of everything, but he enjoys tennis the most.
He is a tennis encyclopedia. He knows all the players,
all the stats, all the tournament results, and he will
know them faster than I do, which is which is
(07:55):
exciting because it's not something that I've trained him to
do and not something he just loves tennis. And I
think when you have a child that loves tennis, it's
a step in the right direction. So hopefully he'll always
be like that, and hopefully I can you encourage him
to go out there and play some of his best
route his lifetime.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
We'll see where that leads.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Well, look, we've got another name to watch now, and
having seen Lannie in action here just for you to
be here I mean, we watched you so much through
your wonderful career. Just think that you're here in christ
Touch with a daughter playing in our little city. You know,
it's pretty cool for us to have you here. And
I just know how kind and humble you have been
(08:32):
in your career, and we're really grateful that we get
to have some time with you on our ear waves.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Thank you. Well, I'm sure I'm not going to be
the first.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
There's lots of tennis players that have done well on
tour that you know their sons or daughters now are playing,
and obviously Cruz Hewett is one of them. Jagger Leech,
you know, Lindsay Davenport's son is we'll play the Australian
Open Juniors this year. So there's a lot of talented
players and it's fun to see. So all I know
is that when I do get a chance to go
(09:00):
back home and people asked me how the trip was
to New Zealand, I'll have nothing but positive things to say.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts
on iHeartRadio
Well, it's a privilege and a treat to speak to
you and find some time with you. Michael Chang and
great to have you in christ.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
It's nice to be here. My daughter and I've enjoyed
our time in New Zealand. This is going on our
almost finishing up our second week here. We're in Ashburton
last week and enjoying our time here and playing well
and having fun. And yeah, it's been lovely to come here.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
So I know that you're a very modest person, but
you were one of the fastest around the courts. I
remember watching you and you were wonderful success, not only
at Grand Slam time but at the ATP tournament level.
But now you're investing yourself in another project. Is that
the right terminology.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I don't know if your kids are necessarily another project,
but I think it's more of a you know, I
feel like it's such an honor to be a parent,
you know, to be able to have, you know, kids
that you know enjoy a sport that you know, you
you love so much and that's so close to your heart.
And to be honest with you, I'm actually quite thankful
for the actually that opportunity to work with k Nishi
(01:01):
Corey because when when I started working with k Lonnie
was only maybe two years old. So she's been exposed
to all the different tournaments on the ATP Tour at
all different levels. She's been to obviously every single Grand
Slam and play at lounges and restaurants. And so when
you're around so many great champions and you watch you know,
(01:23):
so many great you know matches throughout those young young years,
how do you not love the sport of tennis. So
so I'm very thankful for that Now she's out here playing,
playing some of these ifs, and so I feel like
it's a it's an honor and privilege to be out here,
you know, trying to encourage her to to go out
there and play her best.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
So does she feel appreciate of your success?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
You know? To be honest with you, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
I know what it feels like to, you know, play
tennis at a very high level at a very young age,
But I do not know what it feels like to
have a parent who was sucessful on tour before. So
that's something that I cannot help her with in certain aspects,
you know, I can help her with you know, different
different things that are.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Going on the court.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Maybe if she's playing, you know, a top seed or
somebody that she doesn't know. But that's one aspect that
I don't have experience in. I can only tell her
maybe kind of what it's like in that scenario being recognized.
And I think at least she's been around players that
people are asking for autographs and asking for pictures and
stuff like that, so that's not too unfamiliar for her.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
But to actually have a parent.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Who who played on tour, that's something I think she's
still getting used to a little bit and you know,
kind of finding her way.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
There as an appearent of a young player coming through.
Lani's fourteen, isn't she just fourteen? I mean at fifteen,
you you played the US Open, and it's just one
year removed.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Yeah, I mean I think that, you know, everybody has
their own their own timetable. You know, obviously we're not
We don't try to make any comparisons. And and you know,
my wife Amber played tennis at a very high level
as well, so you know Lannie knows that, you know,
tennis is very deep in our roots. I think she's
handling it well, you know, I think she's out here
(03:14):
having fun and and I think overall I think she's
she's handling it well.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So just tune fourteen down on airstribute and she made
the final. You're into semi finals here and of course
up for grabs of the hundred points in the pathway
later up to the Grand Slams. Isn't it up to
the top level of tinis?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Sure?
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Yeah, I mean, you know, I hope that you know,
she gets to that point where she'll have opportunities to
play in some of these junior Slams. I think that's
really exciting opportunity. I think for any of the kids here.
You know, this is just kind of one one step
along the way. There's it's a it's a long journey.
She's young, so there's lots of areas to improve upon,
and you know, when that time comes, you know, we'll
(03:55):
we'll approach it and and hopefully be a you know
a great experience for her. But you know, got a
lot of little steps along the way, and you know
here in christ Church, this this week is one of them.
I want their journey to be one that is you know, exciting,
one that's filled with passion, one that's enjoyable. I've seen
the other side where it hasn't been enjoyable for some
(04:17):
of the juniors for one reason or another. I would
always want her to have tennis throughout the rest of
her lifetime, whether she goes to play, you know, in
college or professional, no matter how she does, you know, well,
we'll just keep plugging away and and and see what
God has in store from there. But we'll just take
it one day at a time and enjoy the process.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
So just going back to a shbutin are the same
players that were at astribution here, we'll go to Wellington
as well.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
I would assume that they're going to Wellington because it
just makes sense to play, you know, kind of this
New Zealand swing. This is a bigger tournament than it
was last week.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
So in the quality or at this age group.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, I mean I think that the quality is very high.
You know, it's not it's not at a Junior Slam
or anything like that. These are all good players. There
are no no easy matches out here. And the tough
thing also is that for us, we don't know that
many so it's not like we're that familiar with with
you know, a lot of these players, but we're learning
and you know, just taking a match by match. The
(05:16):
tournament staff has been been incredible. They run up, you know,
unbelievably professional tournament. They certainly know what they're doing. And
the people in New Zealand obviously are been super nice
in both places that we've been to.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
Now eyes across the Tasman at the moment with the
Australian Open, and you know, we wake up this morning
to hear that nineteen year old Larner teams through they
have a big match. Do you keep an eye on
what's happening in the big Grand Slams?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, I mean it's hard not to watch a great
win for Learner, and you know a lot of great
matches are being being played and a lot of good
matchup matchups that are going to be be coming up.
So you know, both champions I think down in Auckland
are doing very very well on visas through to the
third round. It's going to be a fun Australian Open.
Top of that, I think it's probably the player's favorite
(06:02):
Grand Slam I think, out of all four of them,
so it's the most relaxing and the most fun and
doesn't have the intensity I think of a Grand Slam,
and I think the players enjoy that.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
What do you make of the top level tinas, both
men and women's the circuit at the moment.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I mean, the the level of play is is
pretty incredible. Center and al Karez are really bringing their
their best games to uh, you know, each week. And
then you look at you know, IgA and you look
at Sablenka, you know, Rebakena playing two young young kids, uh,
you know, in Emerson Jones and uh in Iva Djovic.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
They're tough.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
I mean, there's no question the level is is very
very high. They're all peaking to play their best tennis,
you know during these during these couple of weeks, as
the matches get tougher, you know, the level is just
gonna intensity is just going to keep rising. So it'll
be fun to watch everything unfold.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Do you think much back to your wonderful career?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Sometimes not a ton these days because I'm I'm so
uh you know, kind of enveloped with uh, with our
kids and what they're doing and and their training and being.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
Chauffeur and any different things like that.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
You know, I realized that that my time is has
has passed as far as you know, being out there playing.
But it is nice to be able to offer some
encouragement and offer some some experience to uh, you know,
certainly to my kids, but sometimes he maybe even to
some of the other kids or or young talent that
that come up.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
You know that I cross paths with Finally.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
All your children involved in tennis.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Actually, So Lannie obviously plays tennis. Our second daughter is
a golfer actually, and then our little boy plays a
little bit of everything, but he enjoys tennis the most.
He is a tennis encyclopedia. He knows all the players,
all the stats, all the tournament results, and he will
know them faster than I do, which is which is
(07:55):
exciting because it's not something that I've trained him to
do and not something he just loves tennis. And I
think when you have a child that loves tennis, it's
a step in the right direction. So hopefully he'll always
be like that, and hopefully I can you encourage him
to go out there and play some of his best
route his lifetime.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
We'll see where that leads.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
Well, look, we've got another name to watch now, and
having seen Lannie in action here just for you to
be here I mean, we watched you so much through
your wonderful career. Just think that you're here in christ
Touch with a daughter playing in our little city. You know,
it's pretty cool for us to have you here. And
I just know how kind and humble you have been
(08:32):
in your career, and we're really grateful that we get
to have some time with you on our ear waves.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Thank you. Well, I'm sure I'm not going to be
the first.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
There's lots of tennis players that have done well on
tour that you know their sons or daughters now are playing,
and obviously Cruz Hewett is one of them. Jagger Leech,
you know, Lindsay Davenport's son is we'll play the Australian
Open Juniors this year. So there's a lot of talented
players and it's fun to see. So all I know
is that when I do get a chance to go
(09:00):
back home and people asked me how the trip was
to New Zealand, I'll have nothing but positive things to say.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts
on iHeartRadio
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